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There is no acceptable, legal process for seceding from the Union. In 1861, believing they had the legal right to secede, 7 states held votes of their legislatures and passed secession bills. The states notified the federal government that they were no longer in the Union. Later 4 other states joined the 7 Confederate states. The outgoing president, James Buchanan, stated that the secession was illegal but that he did not believe the government had a right to send military force to quell the breakaway movement. President Lincoln, upon taking office, received the justification for military action when South Carolina militia and military school students fired on Fort Sumter. The Union's military victory over the secessionists effectively eliminated the idea that states could decide to leave the Union.

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15y ago

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